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890 Duke R

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KTM made a big deal about the month of February, teasing not one, but two new KTM 890 Duke motorcycles that were coming soon.

One of those bikes was the 2022 KTM 890 Duke R, while the other is a new trim-level, the KTM 890 Duke GP.

While we will have to wait and see what makes an 890 Duke a “GP” bike (we’re guessing a bellypan some other track bits), today we get to see what the fuss is all about with the 2022 KTM 890 Duke R

And frankly, we are disappointed in what we have to report to you with this story…

When the KTM 890 Duke debuted two weeks ago, we were impressed by what the Austrian brand was bringing to the table with this 890cc naked bike.

The KTM 790 Duke had been our sweet spot for price and performance in the sport, and while the KTM 890 Duke promised more “bang” than its predecessor, we wondered at what cost on the “buck” side of the equation.

This is because KTM North America didn’t release pricing information when the 2021 KTM 890 Duke was unveiled – thankfully our Bothan spies have been busy on the job.

The KTM 890 Duke R didn’t get the press launch it deserved, thanks to the coronavirus outbreak, but this bike remains high on our list of machines that debuted for the 2020 model year.

In case you don’t know, the 890cc machine is the more burly sibling to the KTM 790 Duke, for only $1000 more out of your wallet. For that price, you get an obvious bump up in displacement, which is good for a 17hp increase (120hp for the KTM 890 Duke).

But, the 2020 KTM 890 Duke R also brings with it a bevy of upgraded pieces, namely brakes and suspension…but not as good of an upgrade as we were led to believe initially.

One of several press launches that has been canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak, we won’t get to ride the KTM 890 Duke R before it hits US soil in limited numbers this year, but the Austrians are trying to do the next best thing.

This means that we will see another motorcycle manufacturer hosting a “virtual press launch” of a motorcycle this month, with KTM set to take the wraps off the new Duke at 8am Pacific Time.

Want some good news to start your weekend? Thank your favorite Austrian motorcycle brand, because the KTM 890 Duke R is not only coming to America, but it will be here (in limited numbers) very, very soon.

This is because KTM North America has been able to import a small number of KTM 890 Duke R motorcycles into the United States, which will be ready for purchase in Spring 2020, instead of Fall 2020 (as 2021 model year bikes) as was originally planned.

This is a story we broke a eight months ago finally coming true. The 790 engine platform from KTM has finally grown into the 890 platform that is ready for the Euro 5 emissions requirements.

And if you will allow us to toot our own horn just a little bit more, our predictions of an up-spec middleweight Duke have turned out true as well.

Now, while we may be patting ourselves on the back here, the real winners are all the sport bike enthusiasts out there, because the best middleweight naked on the market just got better, in just about every way. Say hello to the KTM 890 Duke R.